Snowdon

Majestic Mount Snowdon is one of the best known features of the Gwynedd landscape. Our friendly Craig Ddu bed & breakfast hotel provides quality accommodation for people planning a trip to Snowdon. It is easy to understand why our guests choose Blaenau Ffestiniog as their holiday base. This famous mountain is just a short drive away, or if you prefer to leave the car for a day, you can travel from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the foot of Snowdon on the preserved Ffestinog and Welsh Highland narrow gauge railways.

The Magic of Mount Snowdon

Mount Snowdon lies at the heart of Gwynedd 's beautiful Snowdonia National Park. With a height of 3,560 feet (or 1,085 meters) it is the highest mountain in England and Wales. The first definite record of someone climbing Snowdon dates back to the early 1600s but there is evidence it might have been climbed during the wars between the English and Welsh in the medieval period.

The mountain's name comes from the snow you can find on it for so many months of the year. If you are fortunate to ascend the mountain on a completely clear day you can see for an amazing 144 miles – all the way to Merrick in Scotland. The Isle of Man and even Ireland are also clearly visible from the summit.

You have a variety of ways to reach the summit, ranging from relatively easily main tracks to challenging cliff climbs. We must point out that you must wear appropriate footwear and clothes for your walk to the summit. Remember that weather conditions can quickly change in the Welsh mountains. Also, unless you are an experienced do not attempt rock climbing on Snowdon. In wintry conditions even the popular paths become dangerous. So take proper care to make sure your visit is both safe and pleasurable.

Ride in Comfort to the top of Snowdon

If you think a walk to the summit might be just that little bit too challenging you can also ride to the top in comfort. In 1896 the Snowdon Mountain Railway was opened to allow visitors to take in the breathtaking mountain scenery from the comfort of a railway carriage. Starting from the town of Llanberis this railway covers a distance of almost five miles to the Snowdon visitor centre on the mountain top. As well as enjoying the great views the historic railway is fascinating in its own right. It operates with a system called "rack and pinion" with ridged wheels giving extra grip to the steep railway track.